 my nest egg in a very up and down economy. If I'm about to retire, but what advice do you recommend helping ensure I don't lose money? Well, let me tell you, it's real simple. It all starts with a plan done by a certified financial planner. If for some reason you don't want to work with an old ball-headed guy like Mark or Alloy Wealth, guess what? Go find someone, pay the 3,000, pay the $5,000.